In implementing a strategic advocacy plan, advocates must monitor progress to track whether activities are achieving their intended impact or whether different tactics are needed. A decision tree can help advocates look ahead and focus on follow-through. Advocates must also use targeted materials such as briefs, presentations, and case studies to clearly outline key messages, present research findings, disseminate policy and program guidelines, outline crucial challenges, and provide concrete next steps in the form of “asks.”

The most effective materials are informed by evidence-based advocacy—advocacy that identifies, assesses, and uses the most up-to-date research endings as the basis for policy decisions. Once this information is collected and analyzed, it can then be packaged to produce focused, succinct briefs that make a clear case for change. This component provides a decision tree for monitoring impact and basic guidance for making your case with evidence-based briefs.